Electric car owners demonstrated how their vehicles work, answered questions about the cars, and discussed the benefits of driving an EV in an urban environment. One of the owners plugged in his Toyota Prius to show us how it worked.

“I’ve worked mostly in advocating the benefits of electric vehicles, as well as bringing early adapters together,” said Nate Pinsley of NYC Plug-In. “I felt that today was the perfect occasion to bring together EV owners to talk about their cars and other in depth tech details.”

The EVs were all plugged into separate power stations along the pier. Visitors were invited to talk with owners of electric cars, as well as have a chance to sit inside the cars and peak under the hood. Facilitators also provided visitors with information and resources on EV purchasing and ownership, and experts answered questions about the science behind the vehicles. Near one section of the exhibition, EV-Propulsion LLC, an EV conversion company that started back in 1975, displayed parts and information on how to convert gas guzzling cars, into clean and efficient electric vehicles.

NYC Plug-in Day was created by a group of local EV owners and advocates, and it was sponsored by the Hudson River Park Trust, with help from Sierra Club, Plug-in America, and the Electric Auto Association. NYC wasn’t the only place celebrating EVs. Cities across the nation, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, and Washington DC, all held events.